Pioneer Public TV is teaming up with public television stations around the country to once again offer the PBS Kids Writing Contest to promote the advancement of creativity and literacy skills in the Pioneer Public Television region.The contest is designed for students from kindergarten through third grade. Contest rules are available by visitng www.pioneer.org or by calling the station toll free at 1-800-726-3178. In addition to the writing, contestants are required to submit at least 5 illustrations to go along with their entry. Prose, Poetry, Fact or Fiction and invented spellings -- all are accepted in this contest. The deadline for submitting contest entries is March 31, 2014. The winner will be selected by a panel of poets, teachers and writers from the Pioneer Public Television region. The winning entry will have a video of the story posted to Pioneer Public TV's web site. Cy Robertson-Hare, a 3rd grader from Vermillion, South Dakota, was thewinner of last year's contest and his story "A Boy Named Jonathan" can be viewed online at www.pioneer.org/writerscontest.The winning entry from Pioneer Public Television will in turn be entered into a national contest where a panel of judges will select the top 12 winners. National winners will be announced during the summer of 2014. Several prizes are being offered to the winners in the national contest including tablet computers, e-readers and gift cards.

One thing you can say about the western and southern edges of Minnesota is that the people here have learned how to make their own fun. This cultural trait shines through on the upcoming episode of Pioneer Public Television's Postcards program to be aired onSunday Feb 2, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.. Through short stories about a radio theatre troupe in Alexandria, a late blooming painter in Ortonville and a historic drive-in movie theater in Luverne, Postcards highlights how the residents of the region have built unique communities around passionate individuals with vision and talent. The 30 minute episode will be repeated on Monday, February 3 at 1:30 p.m. and on Thursday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m. The program will also be available for online viewing after February 3 through the station's web site:www.pioneer.org. The episode begins with a story about how the Lakes Area Theatre (LAT) of Alexandria got in the business of producing radio dramas for a growing network of 16 radio stations. LAT's artistic director Anne Hermes credits Mike Roers for "planting the seed of the idea which marinated and started to grow" into a troupe of 150 actors who participate in the radio play productions, which are recorded in front of live audiences. "We are doing this because we love production work and we love acting," says Hermes. Author Amelia Dellos of Chicago is also featured in the story as she talks about her experience of translating her novel "Courting Bertha -- Love Under Fire" into a radio play. "There is something within all of us that loves the spoken word, " says Dellos.Artist Deb Larson of Ortonville is the subject of the next segment of this Postcardsepisode which explores her paintings featuring local residents sitting on couches, surrounded by items of personal importance. Larson studied painting at the University of Minnesota Morris as a second career after raising her children and though many of her paintings feature landscapes and wildlife, her real passion lies in painting people. Postcardsfeatures a gallery opening of Larson's "couch culture" paintings at the Java Jules coffee shop in Ortonville where many local residents discussed Larson's work, including Dan and Maureen Stores and Edie Barrett. "I love being part of an arts community," says Larson. "For me, painting is a way of communicating, a way of being and it is very freeing."The final story is about the famous Verne Theater in Luverne Minnesota. The original owner and founder of the theater, Walter Deutsch is interviewed about the unorthodox promotion strategies he used to get people to come to the theater in the early days, which included placing canoe based signage on top of his family car to promote the movieDeliverance. The current owner, Glenn Burmeister talks about how he remodeled and invested in the theater where Deutsch left off; constructing new buildings, concession stands and a sound system. Today the Verne theater is one of the few drive-in theaters left in the state and families come from miles around to watch movies during the warmer months. "I love the people who come and I take pride in being able to offer a unique and affordable family fun experience for the region," Burmeister said.

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The versatile garden plant hydrangea will be featured on the upcoming episode of Prairie Yard and Garden -- the TV show for northern gardeners on Pioneer Public Television on Thursday, January 23rd at 7:30 p.m.. The 30-minute episode will be repeated on Monday, Jan 27th at 1:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 1st at 4:00 p.m. The program will also be available for online viewing after January 23rd via the station’s web site: http://video.pioneer.org/program/prairie-yard-garden/The program will feature Kathy Zuzek, a renowned plant breeder and current horticulture extension educator with the University of Minnesota. Prairie Yard and Garden host Larry Zillox interviews Zuzek as she introduces several unique varieties of hydrangea that homeowners can consider as a way to provide a focal point to a landscape design or serve as a hedge or barrier. Prairie Yard and Garden is produced by Roger Boleman and Mike Cihak of Instructional and Media Technologies at the University of Minnesota Morris. Funding is provided by the University of Minnesota, Shalom Hill Farm, and viewers of Pioneer Public Television.Delivering science-based, horticulture information and practices, Prairie Yard and Garden visits with researchers, extension educators and ordinary backyard gardeners to keep viewers current on horticulture information and trends.

Pat Kirmeier's gardens feature elements of quarry rock to complement her Mediterranean-style home near St. Cloud. Kirmeier's gardens are featured in the first episode of the 27th season of Prairie yard and Garden -- the popular show for northern gardeners that airs Thursday January 16 at 7:30 p.m. on Pioneer Public Television.

In the hopefulness of a January thaw, the season premiere of Prairie Yard and Gardenis scheduled for Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. on Pioneer Public Television. The popular television program for northern gardeners begins its 27th season with an episode featuring Pat Kirmeier of St. Cloud, Minn., who transformed her yard with spectacular landscapes, plants and granite hardscape to complement her Mediterranean-style home. The heart of her design rests with her backyard view of an erstwhile granite quarry, where her father-in-law labored as a blacksmith decades before.The 30-minute episodewill be repeated on Monday, Jan 20th at 1:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 25th at 4:00 p.m. The program will also be available for online viewing afterJanuary 16th via the station's web site: http://video.pioneer.org/program/prairie-yard-garden/Larry Zilliox returns as host of the popular horticultural series. A long-time resident of Alexandria, Minn., Zilliox is a retired University of Minnesota Extension educator and has many years of experience as an agricultural and horticultural writer, radio show host, and well-known volunteer throughout the Alexandria area. Prairie Yard and Garden is produced by Roger Boleman and Mike Cihak of Instructional and Media Technologies at the University of Minnesota Morris. Funding is provided by the University of Minnesota, Shalom Hill Farm, and viewers of Pioneer Public Television."There is nothing better in the midst of a cold grey winter than to be reminded of the beauty of our summer gardens," says Boleman. "We love producing this show for the many loyal viewers from throughout the state and region that count on us to lift their hopes and spirits in the darkest days of winter."Delivering science-based, horticulture information and practices, Prairie Yard and Garden visits with researchers, extension educators and ordinary backyard gardeners to keep viewers current on horticulture information and trends. "Prairie Yard and Garden values its relationships with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the University of Minnesota to continue to bring the latest research and scientific knowledge to gardeners in the upper Midwest," says Cihak.

Over the past few years, Minnesota has sent a fair share of contestants to compete on the popular Norwegian Television program “Alt for Norge” (All for Norway) and Pioneer Public TV will be sharing some of their stories on two upcoming episodes of the Postcards weekly art, history and culture program to be broadcast on successive Sundays, January 19 & 26 at 7:00 p.m. The 30 minute episodes will be repeated on Monday, January 20th and January 27th at 1:30 p.m. and on Thursday, January 23rd and January 30th at 7:00 p.m. The program will also be available for online viewing after Janauary 20th through the station’s web site: www.pioneer.org/postcards.Deb Breberg, an insurance agent from Dawson, Grant Aaseng a minister from Shalom Lutheran Church in Alexandria and Amy Hesteness, an Early Childhood professional from Moorhead are all featured in the two episodes. The Pioneer Postcards production crew visited each contestant in their hometown and captured their stories about being chosen for the award winning Alt for Norge which was voted Norway’s best reality show in 2011 and 2012.

Locally produced footage is intermingled with clips from the actual program shot on location in Norway where western Minnesota residents are shown taking part in challenges and activities designed to teach them more about Norwegian heritage and culture. Joseph Ruud, a student and football player at the University of Minnesota Morris, also appears in the program as a contestant. The contestants must be of Norwegian descent and the reality show documents how they travel throughout the country and compete in a variety of events for the opportunity to meet with distant relatives descended from family members who have remained in Norway. Breberg was given the name “Sexy Lefse” by the Alt for Norge producers, much to her chagrin. Aaseng displays his skills as a canoeist and fire starter in one of the contests. Hesteness is moved to tears when she is shown the village where her ancestors came from in the wake of a devastating fire in 1836.

“It is really captivating television,” stated Postcards Senior Producer Dana Johnson. “It is fascinating to see how much we can learn about our own culture by watching our friends and neighbors delve into this Norwegian adventure,” she added.

Postcards is funded by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Producers for the program are Andrea Singleton and Dana Johnson; videographers and editors are Kristofor Gieske and Ben Dempcy. Business sponsors for Postcards include Shalom Hill Farm, the Arrowwood Resort, Alexandria Hotel & Hospitality, Steffl Drilling and Pump and the Senior Perspectives newspaper.

It is not only Downton Abbey fans who are excited for a new season premiere. Fans of Pioneer Public Television's Funtime Polkawill be tuning in on Saturdays in January at 5:00 p.m. to watch a new season of the locally produced music and dancing show that harkens back to the days when area ballrooms were full and oompah music was king. The new episodes feature performances by Julie Lee and her White Rose Combo from North Dakota, playing songs such as Cotton Fields, Que Sera Sera, Casey's Old Timer and the Goodtime Dutchmen from Nebraska performing Lilies in the Moonlight, the Bird Dance and more. The 30 minute broadcasts are repeated on Mondays at 2:00 p.m.and are available for online viewing at the station's web site: http://www.pioneer.org/funtime-polka.htmlFor 17 years Pioneer has produced and aired Funtime Polka which consistently ranks among the the top 10 most popular programs in viewer preference polls. The program has been recorded at Larry Olsen's Music Fest near Lake Benton, Minnesota since 2005. The series is produced by Tim Bakken, Production Director at Pioneer. Bakken, who is a musician himself, appreciates the musical talent and smooth dancers featured on the program. "There's nothing else like it on TV," said Bakken. "These are real people, making music and having fun -- it is part of who we are as region.""For viewers around the region from Aberdeen to Atwater and from Detroit Lakes to Sioux Falls, Funtime Polka on Pioneer Public Television is a highlight to their week," stated Pioneer's president and general manager Les Heen. "We are fortunate to be able to provide this engaging cultural heritage broadcast experience to the region," Heen added.Pioneer intends to increase its coverage of musical and cultural events in the coming years thanks to the acquisition of a new digital TV production trailer that will be operational in May 2014. "We are seeking partnerships with communities that have demonstrated the capacity to stage quality events with a proven audience," according to Heen. "Viewer support is a critical ingredient to whatever we do, so if we can find other audiences that are as passionate and loyal as our Funtime Polka viewers are, we want to be there to record and broadcast the program," Heen said.